Curbing machine with hopper dasher and eliptical compaction

Abstract

A concrete curb forming and extruding apparatus with wheel adjustment locks, and an adjustable slip form system shaping cementitious material into a continuous curb forced there through by an extruder which receives materials stored in a hopper with dasher. The extruder has a rotary trowel compacting member which continually forces material from the hopper into compressed concrete passing through an adjustable slip form to fill the same and form differing shaped continuous curbing underneath fences or against vertical surfaces or conventional curbing, depending upon the slip form setting.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField[0001]This invention relates to concrete curb forming and extruding apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a concrete curb forming and extruding apparatus with wheel adjustment locks, and an adjustable slip form system shaping cementitious material into a continuous curb forced there through by an extruder which receives materials stored in a hopper with dasher. The extruder has a rotary trowel compacting member which continually forces material from the hopper into compressed concrete passing through an adjustable slip form to fill the same and form differing shaped curbing from continuous curb underneath fences or against vertical surfaces to conventional curbing, depending upon the slip form setting.State of the Art[0002]Present concrete curb forming and extruding machines have a reciprocating ram or an auger to force concrete material into a slip form forming a running curb. The concrete material is usually of a dry consistency to hold the fo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]The compaction chamber has a rear opening in communication with a slip form through which is rearwardly directed the building material via the action of an elliptical compacting member with compaction arms; thereby depositing against the ground a formed curb which simultaneously propels the apparatus forward. As the rotary trowel compaction arms are approximately six inches in diameter, the compaction chamber and chassis frame are relatively small, making the apparatus light weight and very mobile to position a slip form against vertical surfaces or under fences.

[0034]The curbing machine described above provides an improved curb forming machine with a pivoting dasher within the hopper to prevent bridging of the cement allowing the cement to feed faster and form curb more quickly. The dasher breaks up the bridge front to back as well as side to side. The compacting member sweeps up at a shallow angle through the motion compacting the bottom as well as the top of the curb. The slip forms are easily reversible, with a design which allows for interchanging many different sizes of curb slip forms. It also has adjustable swing mounted legs and is powered by a motor with a speed reduction unit associated with a crank, connecting arm, and plunger.

Problems solved by technology

This erratic action causes voids which have to be filled.

It also causes curb cracks when the machine coasts at the end of the stroke.

However, straight compressive forces are not conducive to better compaction.

Ram machines, as the speed of the ram is increased, tend to jump ahead and then coast forward at the end of the stroke which puts cracks in the top surface of the curb.

Loose parts on the machine, such as wheels, can also leave marks in the extruded curb.

Although these devices all have various advantages and disadvantages, none have a dasher in the hopper to prevent bridging and are able to lay a continuous curb under a fence or against a vertical surface.

Images